Ron. Good to hear you had fun on your test drive. And I agree, the Maser is a great alternative to MB and Jag. the Porsche is really a different animal. As far as the buzzing sound is concerned, it also activates when you remote unlock it from afar. People nearby seem to get a kick out of it.

The fully auto mode truly does suck, it shortshifts you all the way to 6th as you mentioned. I never use it unless I am driving in the snow. But all is forgiven once you take over in Sport mode. FWIW, the 2003s are supposed to handle a bit better than the 2002s. My personal experience with the electronic traction/stability control is that it compares favorably with the Mercedes Benz ESP system. My Benz used to cut off the throttle way too soon, while the Maserati at least lets the back end slide a tad before correcting things. I have had some spirited driving in my coupe, and have never felt in danger of losing the back end. In fact, the Maser is supposed to have a tendancy to understeer (52/48 F/R bias), but I haven't really noticed it.

Good luck with your purchase. Would love to see some pics of your porsche when/if you get it.